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New album from violinist Leonid Levin is breathtaking, atmospheric(Published: May 18, 2011)

May 18, 2011 (New York, NY) Written by Robert Sutton. Kurt Weill's immortal "Mack the Knife" is given a long-overdue sharpening by violinist Leonid Levin on his latest album, Great Songs from Yesterday.

Popularized via separate versions by Louis Armstrong and Bobby Darin in the late ‘50s, most covers of "Mack the Knife" follow their lead. Not with Levin. On Great Songs from Yesterday, Levin's penetrating, atmospheric violin imbues it with a medieval sound, giving it a sense of foreboding that is offset by the jumpy piano.

An internationally acclaimed violinist, Levin's polished skills and inventive ways with the instrument is showcased on Great Songs from Yesterday with awe-inspiring radiance. On "Yesterdays," Levin's swirling, emotionally charged playing slips under the skin. The rambunctious piano gives the track its jazzy undertow as Levin provides a lush classical soundtrack. It is utterly breathtaking. On "So In Love," Levin performs with a poet's flair, providing enchanting, blissfully romantic melodies on his violin.

According to Levin, his mesmerizing blend of classical and jazz is an outlet for him to unveil what is deep inside him. "Classical music is my first and main language," Levin explained. "In jazz I found new feelings and different ways to express my imagination." Levin started playing the violin after hearing his grandfather do so. At the age of six, Levin was already studying it and practicing regularly.

Receiving his education in Moscow, Russia, Levin emigrated to the U.S. wherein he was able to fulfill the dream of countless classical artists: performing at Carnegie Hall. "It felt unreal, like being in a dream," Levin recalled. "I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to produce any notes, but after a few notes I began hearing my sound supported by great acoustics, and it started to feel like home."